Meereen
Daenerys doesn't know when she fell asleep, but she can tell it has been for some time. She can feel heat radiating on both of her sides lets her know her two children are still with her.
Their massive frames curled around her protectively.
The faint chill that manages to creep into kissing her skin causes her to shiver at the contrast between the heat of her son's and the cold desert night. Heaving herself off of the ground she groggily looks around taking note of her two children.
"My sweets." She murmures with so much love, her small hand coming to rest on her sleeping son's snout, her fingers gliding across his smooth scales.
Rhaegal's screams of pain as he is slain reverberates in her mind.
Danny can feel rage smolder and fester the longer she replays the haunting scenes of Rhaegal and Viserion's death.
'The Night King' She thinks with a scowl. Seeing the ice piercing her youngest in the heart and savagely enslaving his corpse and forcing her and her children to fight her own child and their brethren.
"I'll destroy anyone who dares to harm a single scale of my children." Daenerys vows, feeling Rhaegal shift under her palm and the snoring of Viserion as they sleep. Danny lets her fingers slip off Rhaegal's nose while standing up.
Her face pulls into a wince as kinks in her spine flare from the movement.
Looking down to her left where Viserion is sleeping, the moon reflects into the opening of the 'catacombs ' casting a blue hue on her alabaster child. 'I'm sorry I was blinded to what is truly important.' She thinks to herself, feeling bitterness at what she would have done in the future.
She was the Breaker of Chains. The one who empowered and protected those who can't fight for themselves.
She is hailed as a Mysa to the people.
How could she ever fall so far?
Did she really allow herself to throw everything she worked for, for a man who didn't give her the same in return?
She shakes her head, ridding herself of the thoughts of an honorable fool.
Carefully stepping over her son's tails she silently makes her way out of their 'catacombs ', as she will now call it, the door will never be shut again.
She takes in the melted and shadowed forms of the chains pooling around her feet as she walks out. Stepping over bubbling hardened metal that seems to reach out to her as she passes, paying the sight no mind she steps out onto the ledge overlooking Meereen. The sound of shifting makes her aware of Grey Worm, who had followed her ever dutifully.
His rigorous training conditioned him into needing little sleep, or so he claims.
"I'll never chain them, nor allow anyone to even think of such a thing." She whispers to herself.
Her gaze takes in the beautiful city she rules, the Harpy's have been a thorn in her side for too long. She has allowed them to dine with her. She has shown them the mother her people have called her.
She now sees how futile being nice to her enemies is. "I'm done playing nice," she speaks as the wind billows around her naked form, the chill tinkling her bare scalp. As she continues.
Her gaze tracking to the Fighting Pits, as an Idea forms.
Turning to Grey worm who straightens at her gaze his eyes have never falter lower than her shoulder, though she suspects it's because he only has eyes for a certain scribe.
"It's time the world knows the true might of a dragon." Daenerys says, her resolve embers throughout her soul as she turns all the grief from Kinvara's gift and uses it to fuel her determination.
'Drogon, please return. Mother needs you' she thinks desperately.
"If it's your wish, I see to it." Grey Worm speaks with finality. Speaking in broken common tongue. His words make her heart swell, laughing softly looking back at her most devout soldier.
The belief in her always soothes her worries when she's feeling doubtful. The blind faith her people have in her is scary and liberating.
"I know" she whispers to herself, giving him a small smile, "I know I can always count you on my most fierce-some warrior." She ends in Valyrian, enjoying the way he seems to puff up with pride and confidence.
When he speaks his voice strong and passionate with absolution, "this one has become someone, and I have my Mysa to thank for it." His words are soft but fierce.
"Seven Hell's." She turns to her left hearing the sound of Ser Barristan as he clobbers down the steps his voice sounding worried as he hurriedly meets her as she starts her way to him.
Feeling mirth at his expression when he registers her nudity, the torch on his hands casting a glow on his white hair and beard as he curses, "Your Grace, are you alright." His voice frantic as he tugs off his cloak without any flare before securing it around her shoulders.
Feeling more free than she has in a long time she allows a fond smile form as his mother hen's her his concern evident as he hurries her up the stairs, she has to stop him from picking her up.
She reassured him with a smile allowing him to drag her to the healer despite knowing she is fine, better than fine.
She feels like she has a purpose.
First thing she has to do is get some expertise on what she saw, by those she trusts explicitly.
'After a bath…' she thinks as she feels Barristan scoop her up as her legs wobble under her as she slips on the cloak pooling around her.
Two days it took to get to the point of building up the courage, by then she had a few things done.
But that's not here or there, as she sits nervously in her private chambers, away from anyone not loyal to her, and away from certain little birds.
Daenerys gives them each a glance, taking in the forms of Missandei, Daario, Grey Worm and Barristan, and surprisingly Kinvara who Daenerys is willing to trust, though with causation.
The only one missing is her Bear having forgave his past action the moment she watched him fall in order for her to live. 'Even after throwing him out like trash, he still loves me.' Daenerys is honored by his eternal devotion.
Fortunately she was able to send a couple of her trusted unsullied and dothraki -smaller than the great army she saw in her memories- to intercept him before the foolishness of Tyrion and himself made to traverse the treacherous lands of old Valyria.
'Tryrion' she thinks saddened, her heart aches as she thinks of the smaller man.
Daenerys thought she could trust him.
She counted on his council, and he repaid her with treachery, while she can understand the love for family. To go behind her back and betray her over and over again then dare question her when she shows causation.
Taking a deep breath she calms her rage.
'If I look back I am lost' she thinks, not going to foolishly trust his judgment like she had before, but won't punish a man for crimes he hasn't committed.
She doesn't forgive, nor forget, but a Queen must be merciful… when it suits her.
She will show Westeros what ruthless truly is.
Though not but ruling through the ashes of their own demise.
No, Daenerys will show them how easy it will be to conquer them.
Hearing the door open snaps her out of her musings. Smiling gently as she sees the two servants dressed in fine silk, she ordered her entire staff to be dressed as fine as her own wardrobe.
She may be a queen, but she is not above her people.
She'll never let herself see them as a means to an end, again.
Giving her thanks as they stroll in a tray of dishes and wine, her eyes not showing any of her sadness at their surprise at her kindness. 'The bare minimum at that' she thinks with rage.
Daenerys knows her people, her children have had a harsh life, and it's her duty to ensure that they can live to their heart's content.
Danny isn't ignorant to how wishful her endeavor is, but she is nothing if not a dreamer.
Waiting until the door shuts, she gives Kinvara a look, "can you tell if there are any listeners?" The woman nods, the red and gold of her mask gleaming off the sunlight trickling through the windows and balcony, where she can see her children flying about.Making her heart soar as she feels their happiness.
If only Drogon would return.
Kinvara answers after seeming to mutter in a language even Daenerys can't recall. "You're free to speak of what you have seen, Bride of R'hllor."
"Any who wish to eavesdrop will find their ears full of nonsense and clutter." She speaks, folding her hands delicately in her lap, her red cloak billowing around her like a curtain of dried blood.
Nodding, she stands her bald head gleaming as it is adorning a single ringlet of a chard metal link she found rounded by heat at the entrance when she visiting her children after a day of petitions, something she loved despite the dull process, as it gave her a chance to meet her people. The once silver metal so black it's like the light is absorbed, the twisted bubbles and spikes forking in various places. It serves to remind her of the horrid actions she did, and the weight reminds her to keep her temper in check.
With a deep breath she begins her story she feeling trepidation as she glances at Barristan, "as you all seen Kinvara has gifted me," looking around she catches Missandei's reassuring gaze, feeling her shoulders relax.
"She gifted me a wealth of knowledge that is going to sound insane," she winced at the poor choice of words. The flinch not going unnoticed, if the protective gleam that enters Barristan's eyes is any indication.
She hopes he still feels that way when he finds out that Jon is a contender to the throne and with Ned Stark's reputation from her memories, she knows, and seen how men, anyone can be when a male option is apparent.
After a second she goes on to explain what is to come, she can see the anger in Grey Worm's eyes as she mentions the numerous slaughters of his unsullied. She then goes on to explain how the yunkai will try to siege Meereen using an alliance of sellswords and of their slavers. "They will never see us as humans, your grace." Missandei says, her eyes distant.
Danny wonders if she is thinking of her brothers.
"I understand that now, I promise to you Dei," Missandei seems flustered at the nickname, but please all the same. "That I'm done playing nice, I've tried to be a Mhysa to them, but I've come to realize I can't be one to those who look down upon another simply for existing." She says with passion, her fire returning as she rides the storm inside her.
"They will see why I'm called Daenerys Stormborn, when I rain my own wrath upon them, when I said I'd raise my enemies I meant it." She flushed at the lustful gaze of Daario, she made to ignore his silent heated gazes in favor of addressing Barristan. Her tone soft belaying her irritation with everyone always thinking she's crazy because of her father.
"Ser Barristan, while I dine with them, they continue to slaughter my children, I know it sounds crazy to you that I see my people as my children, just as I do with my Dragons." She holds her hand up at his attempt to interrupt, "I know what people say, that I'm as mad as my father, that I wish to burn everyone I see as an enemy to ashes." She shakes her head, sighing.
"You died," she whispers, feeling tears as the various stab wounds and dirt clinging to his pale body as they pick it off the dirty alley come to her mind. The wariness in his eyes seems to fade at the despair in her eyes and voice as she continues. in an alley fighting cowardly men, pathetic slavers." She growls in remisent of a dragon standing up from her seat the other following suit but she waved them off.
"You're too important, to me," she states as she makes her way to him, the man dropping to his knees, his head bowed, "l apologize, Your Grace," his tone strong as he speaks "If I ever gave you the indication that I thought you were your father." Danny feels a self-deprecating smile appear as she commands him to look up.
Looking into his eyes she says, "what if I told you I burned Kings Landing?" She doesn't look away as his eyes widen, before they steal, his tone soft but stern. "I'd ask you why Your Grace?"
Her gaze immediately goes to Missandei, her gaze loyal and curious, her death being the catalyst to her mental descent, before answering him, "I, we sacrificed so much for them." She starts feeling the same rage bubble up, she reaches for the chain, the links diving into her palm as she grips it. She paces, ignoring them as she tells a tale of what went on from the second she arrived to dragonstone.
She listens to their shock when she speaks of how she was demanded by Jon's blunt self when he stoked up to dragonstone demanding her Dragon-glass and even her dragons, she feels Dario's smugness when she tell him how she denied the obnoxious demand when they refused to bend the knee not believing in his tale at fort like they don't .
She then speaks of how they found a cave with the tale of the Long Night and the Others written on the walls, asking them to wait till she finishes and thankful for Kinvara to help solidify her claims with information of her own.
She watches as horror creeps up their face, even Barristan pales, when she mentions the ice spear taking out her sweet Viserion.
"Jon then bent the knee stating it was the right thing to do for what I sacrificed, I was thankful but I didn't bring my son back." She speaks looking out as her cream colored child glitters by him and his brother enjoying the freedom she deprived of them.
"He should have kneeled the second he stepped in your presence." Daario snarls, making her smile at his devotion, his anger at being left in Meereen still evident.
Continuing she then speaks on how she allowed his men to mine the dragon-glass and then declared the Long Night her fight as well.
"Why didn't you take King's Landing the second you landed?" Missandei, who has been silent but attentive asks with no judgment.
"Because my hand, Tyrion Lannister wished for me to focus on Casterly Rock, wich now I see as an idiotic plan to begin with, but I foolishly allowed myself into thinking his Westerosi raised self and intellectual mind would be sufficient." Her bitterness came out as the failures she endured from his misguided advice.
She continues on going through the motions feeling her mind return to that night watching Jorah take blade after blade for her even after she banished him over and over.
She feels a laugh bubble, " My men died for them, fought with them, bleed with them, yet they looked at use like vermin, I was okay with them glaring at me, I understand, I am my fathers daughter." She hears Barristan shift but ignores it.
"But they dared to look upon you," here she looks to Missandei and Grey Worn, "like you were taking up space, it reminded me of how the masters would treat my freedmen. But I endured because I thought eventually they would see me, and I thought maybe I can be the next Rhaegar." She hiccups, feeling Missandei come and take her hand as she slumps into her seat, the scribe sitting on the arm of the chair while holding her hand.
"But at last I realized they'd alway fear me, and then." She is still wondering how they'll take this "I found out I had a Nephew."
"What!" Barristan is the one who should care the most about this so she looks at him as she continues.
"Jon Snow, the claimed natural son of Eddard Stark, He is truly the Son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, and if by Westerosi laws the rightful heir, as they were married in a godswoods under the old gods." She lets him reel over that for a second, before continuing "I will admit that I was started and let my fear of losing all I achieved manipulate some of my emotions, even when he swore that he'd not take the crown. The honorable fool." She can't help but mutter feeling bittersweet.
She can feel the love she had and the good they had was amazing and igniting, but she doesn't know if she could get past his actions, no matter how justified it was in the prospective mind, she wants to judge, but she stood by while her own brother was tarred with gold.
She understands why he did it, but it's the way he went about it, to claim to love her, and support her while aiming a dagger at her heart.
She's rather he had called her a monster instead of pretending he loved her in the final moments.
"You're grace," Daario begins, his tone gentle, "I'm sorry to say but his claim to the throne is irrelevant, as you aren't just reclaiming the throne, you're reconquering the seven Kingdoms under a new dynasty." His voice is gaining ground as he speaks, having seated when she did, Grey Worm nodding having kept silent since the start of the meeting.
Though he does speak it's with absolution "Your Grace, we chose to follow you, not because you have some claim to a throne we don't care for other than the fact that our queen wishes for it. This one, and many others will lay their life and follow your command not because you are a princess of some dynasty that is ruining itself, but because you showed us that we are worth more than being a slave, that we deserve to have a choice." He walks up to her kneeling before her vowing "you're my Mhysa, and I will slay any who wishes to kill you." She can feel a tear slip down her. cheek as she uses her free hand to grab his squeezing it.
"You mean so much to me, all of you." She says switching to common tongue at the end.
She gives Kinvara a glance but the woman doesn't seem bothered at the lack of inclusion.
She goes on to tell them how she came about finding out that Jon was her nephew. Explaining, while ignoring the curious gaze of Daario, or the knowing gaze of Missandei when she glosses over certain aspects. Though Daario's expression morphs into on of rage as she tells them of how Jon wouldn't keep his Heritage a secret to protect her.
"The bastard," Daario snarls, reaching for his blade as if to strike down Jon himself, the action bringing a smile despite the tense situation. "I'll hit him, before forcing him to shit his own intestines." His tyroshi accent spitting in anger makes her flush, as he defends her.
After so long of having to fight for her voice she dearly appreciates when she is defended.
She keeps her gaze calm as he stalks towards her his blade gleaming as he kneels where Grey Worm had been "Your Grace, I know I'm just a sellsword, but you're the only woman who will ever hold my heart, and if it means giving up the flesh," here he leer playfully making her giggle to which me puffs up with pride, seeming to accomplish his small goal.
"I wish to become an official member of your Kingsguard, I wish to never leave your side, unless it's to die defending the light of my life." He declares ignoring the others as they gape at his open display.
"My Daario, you've more than shown your worth of deserving such an honor, but to ask you to give your life away when the world is so big." Knowing how much he loves traveling it was why he joined the second sons.
"The world is bleak without my silver goddess to shine upon me," he says, pulling her hand to his lips gazing into her eyes.
Daenerys can hear Barristan gruff in his prudish-self, not likening Daario's informality which makes her smile widen, knowing it's from a place of affection.
"it's scary to know people will die for me" She allows, cupping his face, before she gently nudges him back to his seat, she gives him a smile showing she'll think about it. To which he grins his anger vanishing like the wind, the hyperactive man-child he is.
She continues, her voice droning as she recalls the cry of Rhaegal when he had been viciously slewn. Her voice cracking as she speaks of his body splashing into the sea.After what seems like hours she finally and dreadingly gets to the part she loathes the most.
She gives Missandei a teary glance, "you died in chains." She chokes out.
"I let you die in chains, they cut your head off like, like." She can even continue.
"The Bitch made a showing of it all."
"I let go after that."
"I was tired of it all, the hurt, the betrayal. The loss. All for what? A bunch of people who despise me, who would never love me?" She looks to Barristan "I told Jon Let it be fear then. I can't recall if it was before or after I let Drogo loose on the innocents." She burrows her head into her hands.
The memory of the smell of all the burning people makes her queasy.
"Jon was the one to put my madness to an end." She says after a second still not looking up, even when she hears Barristan walk to her.
Though she hears him still for a second.
Along with the outrage of her dear friends.
"I deserved it!" She screams when the yelling gets too loud, unable to contain her anguish looking up with exhaustion.
"I deserved it." She says again more softly. "for what I did."
"I only wish he didn't pretend to still love me while doing it." She snarls.
"Your Grace." Barristan says after a second his presence towering over her.
He kneels before her, she is startled to find tears in his eyes. " I can see now that I've been mistaken all this time, you're not Rhaegar." This makes her breath hitch at his words
'Here it is' the rejection.
"You're better." This stumps her. He kneels before her looking like he wants to reach out to her. "I'm sorry, so sorry for all you've endured and seen. I can see how I've helped into this, I should've seen how my words could lead you to doubt yourself."
"You must remember that madness doesn't just appear, no matter how much your great grandfather liked to say, about the gods and their coins madness is a product of make-ship, caused by the circumstances around us and beyond our control."
"You're father was a great man once, before your mother started to miscarry and then the defiance happened." He pauses.
"You've already shown me you're better than many kings of before just for admitting that you have and can do wrong. You forget that despite all your greatness you're human like the rest of us." He says but not unkindly.
"I'll kill as many harpy's as it takes to see that I don't die in that alley," here he stands holding his hand out.
"I have a Queen to guide, protect, and serve, the only person I see worthy and willing to try."
Daenerys startles them by launching into his armored chest, her wails of anguish shattering the hearts of them all.
Barristan curls his arms around the small frame of his Queen while giving each of his fellows a nod, all agreeing that Westeros will never cause their queen to crumble.
Looking down Barristan is taken back by the realization of just how young his little conqueror is and tightens his arms.
He personally vows to make sure she's protected both in body and in mind. Even if his personal morals get called into question, Daenerys has become like a daughter to him, and he can't stand the thought of her being brought down so low.
——
Leagues away, marching towards Meereen is a scrambled army of desperate slavers making its way towards the city containing the Dragon Queen.
Unbeknownst to them a certain dread reborn is stalking them, waiting for the perfect time to strike.
A/n:
So, had daddy spill the beans, to her trusted ally's, and while she is scared of Barristan's thoughts of hating her, she trust his loyalty.
It's why he's there despite her trepidation.
I hope I kept them in character and all that, haha
I feel Barristan has seen a lot of great men fall under the weight of grief and abuse, he seen how good Aerys could have been, there's no defending his actions, but he had been dealt with the daunting pressure of being one of the last of his family, and I personally think the Maester poisoned Rhaella during her pregnancies -as the throne was weak and it was a good time to strike- it's said the constant death of his children desiccated his mental state, then the Defiance of Duskendale happened which did nothing. Anyway he seems like the type to be able to look further and his loyalty to his oaths are true.
Uh oh what is Drogon up to now?